06 MX5 solo nationals STR setup

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Curves
Posts: 69
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2012 1:32 pm
Location: San Diego

Re: 06 MX5 solo nationals STR setup

Post by Curves »

Those links I posted did not paste right. This thread hs the same links.

http://www.mazdatalkforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=3248
elloco54
Posts: 36
Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2012 1:10 pm

Re: 06 MX5 solo nationals STR setup

Post by elloco54 »

I had actually planned to drop the rear to 12.75 before this weekends event. The car is fairly neutral with slight oversteer at the limit but very manageable.
morrisg
Posts: 128
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 12:02 am

Re: 06 MX5 solo nationals STR setup

Post by morrisg »

I've been away from autox for 2 years but I believe you may pick up some rear traction powering out of the corners if you reduce rear camber a bit from your present value of >2.5 degrees. We had about 2.2 degrees and found some forward bite when we took it down to around 1.5. Of course, this was on Toyo R1R in 245/40x17 two years ago. The car was still good on the first gen BFG Rival taking the win at 2013 Packwood Tour.

However, with the new BFG Rival S or Bridgestone RE71R tires, more grip is available and suspension tuning will need to be tweaked. It might be nice to start a thread here to share suspension tuning / tire pressures / etc for 2015 season.
See23
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Nov 23, 2013 6:27 pm

Re: 06 MX5 solo nationals STR setup

Post by See23 »

I'll bite: Here's my set up....

2006 MX5 soft top GS
Ohlin coil overs
Swift springs 9 kg front, 6 kg rear
Front camber -2.9
- Toe 1/32 out
- Caster 6
Rear Camber -2.5
- Toe 1/32 in
Racing Beat sway bar in front, stock rear
- Full stiff in front
PPE long tube header
RoadsterSport Race muffler
Moto East intake for STR
Moto East re-flash
- 7500 rpm smooth rev limit
- Auto blip/rev match down shift (not much good in autocross but fun on the back roads)
- Launch control (still haven't tried it- not sure how)
Enkie RPF1 17x9 wheels
Hankook Ventus R-S2 Ver2 255/40R17

This set up was in my 2013 with PRHT last season except that the camber was -2.5 front and -1.8 rear.
I did well enough with it but wanted a dedicated autocross/track car so I sold it and bought the 2006 soft top.
3rd, 1st and 2nd in three different club seasons in ST. Not so hot at Packwood Nationals.

So I've had 2 local events on a very tight lot and the back end is loose under acceleration. I haven't been on a big enough course for a sustained sweeper to know if it's loose there. Front end has tons of grip.
I had a Racing beat rear sway bar but disconnected it to try and get some grip. That helped a bit.
I backed off my dampening in the rear trying between 8 and 30 clicks. Ended with16 clicks. That helped a bit but still loose. Something's not right.
I put the stock sway bar in but it didn't change much from a complete disconnect.

This Monday night I'm changing the rear camber to between 1.5 and 1.8. Haven't decided yet.
I'll know this coming Thursday night.

I'm open to thoughts and suggestions.
sjd
Posts: 50
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 7:02 am

Re: 06 MX5 solo nationals STR setup

Post by sjd »

Good idea!

2010 MX-5 GS Soft Top
JIC FLT-TAR coilovers.
Swift springs 12K Front 7K Rear
I've been having front end grip issues, quite often the car pushes when I turn in. It just washes out. Its not the kind of understeer you get when going in too hot either. I'm ordering a set of front springs and was leaning towards 9K fronts but keep wondering if I should get 10K fronts.
Mazdaspeed front sway bar
Mazdaspeed rear (disconnected on faster courses)
Front camber -2.4
Rear camber -2.0
Caster 6.5
Toe 0 (I do drive it on the street a lot)
AEM intake
Max Power header
RoadsterSport mid-pipe and muffler.
Open Flash Tablet tune
7600 RPM limit.
17x9 RPF1's
Last year I ran Yokohama AD08R's, this year I have a set of 245/40/17 Bridgestone RE71R's that should be here soon.

I'm happy with the car for the most part but it doesn't feel as good as my 2006 used to. The reluctance to turn in and the push is the biggest problem. Although sometimes on faster airport courses the car will get into a tank slapper but I suspect that's the course design. My set up was the same except for the tune and the coilovers. I ran a set of Mazdaspeed coilovers with the stock rates. 300 pound front and 175 rear.
2010 Competition Yellow MX-5.
See23
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Nov 23, 2013 6:27 pm

Re: 06 MX5 solo nationals STR setup

Post by See23 »

Sounds like a pretty stiff spring rate up front.
My 9/6 seems just right.

I changed my rear camber to 1.6 and it made a huge difference at the last event.
I can throw the car around and it bites when I need it.
I'm running 3 clicks front and 6 in the rear. Seems to work well in a rough, tight lot.
What do you run sjd?
morrisg
Posts: 128
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 12:02 am

Re: 06 MX5 solo nationals STR setup

Post by morrisg »

See23: What rear diff are you using? The stock Torsen? If so, then you need to upgrade to an OS Giken or if that's too expensive try the Tomei that Goodwin Racing has for sale. The stock Torsen just doesn't lock enough to put the power down coming out of corners. When I put the OS Giken in my car, it made a night and day difference compared to the one year old Torsen from the factory.

But the very best thing you can do is get either the BFG Rival S or the Bridgestone RE71R tires on the car. These are new for this year and they are so much faster than the older design tires it isn't worth using up the old tires; just sell them. With the new tires, the car's handling is going to change a bunch so you'll need to retune the suspension settings anyway.

Hope to see you at Packwood sometime.

Morris
morrisg
Posts: 128
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 12:02 am

Re: 06 MX5 solo nationals STR setup

Post by morrisg »

SJD: Brian Clemons did not have good luck with his JIC FLT TAR coil overs. You might want to look into upgrading to either Ohlins or MCS coil overs. I know, very spendy. Reducing your front spring rate will help cure your understeer; try a set of Swift 9k front springs as a first cut. Also, look into an adjustable front bar like the Racing Beat so you can tune the handling as you get closer to what you like. But get those Bridgestones on the wheels as soon as you can so you're tuning the car to the best tires for the best feel. Keep us up to date on how things go.

Morris
sjd
Posts: 50
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 7:02 am

Re: 06 MX5 solo nationals STR setup

Post by sjd »

See23 wrote:Sounds like a pretty stiff spring rate up front.
My 9/6 seems just right.

I changed my rear camber to 1.6 and it made a huge difference at the last event.
I can throw the car around and it bites when I need it.
I'm running 3 clicks front and 6 in the rear. Seems to work well in a rough, tight lot.
What do you run sjd?
Yeah, I chose the 12K because I was tracking the car as well and went based off the MX-5 Cup Cars. I'm not really doing any track this year so I need so swap the fronts. As for settings it varies from lot to lot but the fronts are usually full soft and the rears 5-6 clicks.
morrisg wrote:SJD: Brian Clemons did not have good luck with his JIC FLT TAR coil overs. You might want to look into upgrading to either Ohlins or MCS coil overs. I know, very spendy. Reducing your front spring rate will help cure your understeer; try a set of Swift 9k front springs as a first cut. Also, look into an adjustable front bar like the Racing Beat so you can tune the handling as you get closer to what you like. But get those Bridgestones on the wheels as soon as you can so you're tuning the car to the best tires for the best feel. Keep us up to date on how things go.

Morris
I do have my RE71R's and plan to mount them on the car and heat cycle them tonight. I don't have an event until the middle of June. I would like a set of MCS dampers but its just not in the cards. Same for an OS Giken differential although I am still skeptical as GRM tested one and their times were the same.

I do have a question, will the 9K new front springs be too close to my 7K rears? Should I be going 10K/7K which is a similar spread to the 9K/6K you guys are running? I want the car balanced but not an oversteering mess.

Thanks for the advice all!
2010 Competition Yellow MX-5.
Brian
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Re: 06 MX5 solo nationals STR setup

Post by Brian »

That 2k spread is not bad, many run that combo and you can adjust your sways as needed for the balance you want.
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
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